Quick action and expert care at Essentia Health save Minnesota man’s life following stroke

Today is World Stroke Day
 
The evening of March 26, 2025, was like any other for 75-year-old Brian Kvebak, who was relaxing downstairs at his lakeside home near Battle Lake, Minnesota, when he heard dishes clanking.
 
“Sally had started loading the dishwasher, and that’s my job!” Brian recalled with a chuckle. He hurried upstairs to take over dish duty from his wife. Moments later, he was lying on the floor.
 
“I don’t remember anything except just falling down,” Brian admits.
 
Sally immediately recognized the signs of a stroke. “He was slurring his words, and his right side was weak,” she said.
 
Acting quickly, Sally dialed 911. Within 30 minutes, Brian was transported via helicopter to Essentia Health-Fargo. A computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed he was suffering an ischemic stroke caused by a blockage in his brain.
 
Dr. Madhu Vijayappa, an interventional neurologist at Essentia, performed an emergency endovascular thrombectomy to remove what ended up being five blood clots.

“He (Dr. Vijayappa) came by the next day and showed me,” recalls Brian. “I remember asking, ‘That was out of my brain?!’ It was just amazing.”
 
Brian also met with Dr. Zachary Ernst, a general surgeon, who explained that the clots may have been caused from a narrowing in his left carotid artery.
 
“Another CT confirmed Brian’s artery was 55% narrowed with an ulcerated appearing plaque,” Dr. Ernst explained. “While this isn’t terrible, given his stroke and the plaque’s appearance, I told him that I wanted to perform a left carotid endarterectomy to help prevent future strokes.”
 
Dr. Ernst describes an endarterectomy to his patients as like going in with a Roto-Rooter.
 
“We clean off all the plaque that’s built up and remove some of the inner layers of the impacted artery wall,” he said.
 
Brian spent five days in the hospital before continuing with in-home care for physical, occupational and speech therapy. His surgery with Dr. Ernst followed two weeks later, on April 14.
 
Brian and Sally credit the speed, expertise and support of Essentia’s care team for his remarkable recovery.
 
“It was just unbelievable,” said Brian, who is nearly back to 100%. “Everyone took a personal interest in who I was, and it showed in how they cared for me.”
 
He also credits his wife for helping save his life.
 
“I feel like his guardian angel,” admits Sally. “To rattle the dishes a little bit and have him come running.”
 
Brian continues to work on his speech and will have periodic ultrasounds to monitor for future arterial narrowing. He hopes others learn from his story and remember to act fast when faced with stroke symptoms.
 
“If you’re not feeling good, get help right away,” Brian said. “If you don’t, you might not have that quality of life again.”
 
Globally, about one in four adults over the age of 25 will have a stroke in their lifetime, according to the American Stroke Association. In the United States, stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death.
 
Use the acronym BEFAST to spot common signs of stroke. It could save your life or the life of a loved one.

 

• Balance: Does the person have sudden loss of balance?
• Eyes: Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?
• Face: Smile. Does a side of the face droop?
• Arms: Raise both arms. Does one drift downward?
• Speech: Repeat a simple phrase. Is speech slurred or strange?
• Time: If you observe any of these signs, it’s time to call 911 right away.